INSTRUMENT COMPRISING A VACCUM CHAMBER

Abstract

An instrument having a vacuum chamber, wherein a wall of the vacuum chamber includes a layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset having a thickness in a range of 1-10 mm, a first and a second layer of ceramic material having a thickness in a range of 40-60 μm, and a layer of aluminum having a thickness in a range of 0.5-10 mm. The first layer of ceramic material is positioned between the layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset and the layer of aluminum. The layer of aluminum is positioned between the first layer of ceramic material and the second layer of ceramic material. The second layer of ceramic material is positioned most to a side of an interior surface of the wall of the vacuum chamber.

Claims

1. An instrument comprising: a vacuum chamber comprising an interior space for containing depressurized fluid, and a mechanism for depressurizing fluid in the interior space of the vacuum chamber, wherein a wall of the vacuum chamber delimiting at least a portion of the interior space includes: a layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset having a thickness in a range of 1-10 mm, a first layer of ceramic material having a thickness in a range of 40-60 μm, a layer of aluminum having a thickness in a range of 0.5-10 mm, and a second layer of ceramic material having a thickness in a range of 40-60 μm, wherein the first layer of ceramic material is positioned between the layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset and the layer of aluminum, wherein the layer of aluminum is positioned between the first layer of ceramic material and the second layer of ceramic material, and wherein the second layer of ceramic material is positioned most to a side of an interior surface of the wall of the vacuum chamber.

2. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism for depressurizing the fluid is configured to reduce the pressure of the fluid in the interior space of the vacuum chamber to a pressure in a range of 10.sup.−1 mbar (10 Pa) and 10.sup.−9 mbar (10.sup.−7 Pa).

3. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism for depressurizing the fluid is configured to reduce the pressure of the fluid in the interior space of the vacuum chamber to a pressure in a range of 10.sup.−3 mbar (10.sup.−1 Pa) and 10.sup.−8 mbar (10.sup.−6 Pa).

4. The instrument according to claim 1, being configured to perform an analysis of a sample and comprising: an ion source that is configured to create ions in the sample, electrodes which are configured to separate ions from the sample and to thereby provide separated ions, a detector that is configured to detect the separated ions, wherein the ion source, the electrodes, and the detector are positioned in the interior space of the vacuum chamber, and wherein the mechanism for depressurizing fluid in the interior space of the vacuum chamber comprises a vacuum pump in fluid communication with the interior space of the vacuum chamber.

5. The instrument according to claim 4, being a mass spectrometer in which the vacuum chamber comprises a tube and at least four flanges which are attached to the tube, and in which the vacuum pump is arranged at a first flange of the vacuum chamber, the mass spectrometer further comprising: a pressure gauge that is arranged at a second flange of the vacuum chamber and configured to regulate fluid pressure in the vacuum chamber, an inlet that is arranged at a third flange of the vacuum chamber and configured to receive the sample to the interior space, and an electronic control unit that is arranged at a fourth flange of the vacuum chamber, wherein the detector is positioned most to the electronic control unit in the interior space.

6. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein, in the wall of the vacuum chamber, the layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset is bound to the first layer of ceramic material, and the layer of aluminum is bound to the first layer of ceramic material and the second layer of ceramic material.

7. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein, in the wall of the vacuum chamber, the layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset has a thickness in a range of 1-2 mm.

8. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein, in the wall of the vacuum chamber, the layer of aluminum has a thickness in a range of 0.5-3 mm.

9. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein, in the wall of the vacuum chamber, the layer of aluminum has a thickness in a range of 1-2 mm.

10. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein, in the wall of the vacuum chamber, the ceramic material of the second layer of ceramic material has a hardness according to Vickers (HV) of at least 750.

11. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein, at the side of the wall of the vacuum chamber other than the side where the layer of aluminum is present, the second layer of ceramic material is covered by a coating, and wherein the coating is selected from a group that includes a Teflon® coating, gold coating, copper, titanium and a diamond-like-carbon (DLC) coating.

12. The instrument according to claim 1, being of a portable nature by having a weight of 20 kg or less.

13. The instrument according to claim 2, being configured to perform an analysis of a sample and comprising: an ion source that is configured to create ions in the sample, electrodes which are configured to separate ions from the sample and to thereby provide separated ions, a detector that is configured to detect the separated ions, wherein the ion source, the electrodes, and the detector are positioned in the interior space of the vacuum chamber, and wherein the mechanism for depressurizing fluid in the interior space of the vacuum chamber comprises a vacuum pump in fluid communication with the interior space of the vacuum chamber, the instrument being a mass spectrometer in which the vacuum chamber comprises a tube and at least four flanges which are attached to the tube, and in which the vacuum pump is arranged at a first flange of the vacuum chamber, the mass spectrometer further comprising: a pressure gauge that is arranged at a second flange of the vacuum chamber and configured to regulate fluid pressure in the vacuum chamber, an inlet that is arranged at a third flange of the vacuum chamber and configured to receive the sample to the interior space, and an electronic control unit that is arranged at a fourth flange of the vacuum chamber, wherein the detector is positioned most to the electronic control unit in the interior space.

14. The instrument according to claim 13, wherein, in the wall of the vacuum chamber, the layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset is bound to the first layer of ceramic material, and the layer of aluminum is bound to the first layer of ceramic material and the second layer of ceramic material, and wherein, in the wall of the vacuum chamber, the layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset has a thickness in a range of 1-2 mm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of the invention by way of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments of an instrument that comprises a vacuum chamber and a mechanism for depressurizing fluid in an interior space of the vacuum chamber.

[0053] The person skilled in the art will appreciate that the described embodiments of the instrument according to the present invention are exemplary in nature only and not to be construed as limiting the scope of protection in any way. The person skilled in the art will realize that alternatives and equivalent embodiments of the instrument can be conceived and reduced to practice without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0054] Reference will be made to the figures on the accompanying drawing sheets. The figures are schematic in nature and therefore not necessarily drawn to scale. Further, equal reference numerals denote equal or similar parts. On the attached drawing sheets,

[0055] FIG. 1 illustrates an analytical instrument comprising a vacuum chamber;

[0056] FIG. 2 illustrates a tube of the vacuum chamber and four flanges which are attached to the tube; and

[0057] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-section of the tube of the vacuum chamber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0058] FIG. 1 illustrates an analytical instrument 100 that is configured to perform an analysis of a sample. The analytical instrument 100 comprises a vacuum chamber 10 and a mechanism 20 for depressurizing fluid within the vacuum chamber 10.

[0059] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the analytical instrument 100 may be a mass spectrometer that comprises the vacuum chamber 10 as mentioned, a vacuum pump 20, a pressure gauge 30, an inlet 40, and an electronic control unit 50. In view thereof, in the following, the analytical instrument 100 will be referred to as mass spectrometer 100.

[0060] The mass spectrometer 100 may further comprise an ion source configured to create ions in the sample, electrodes which are configured to separate ions from the sample and to thereby provide separated ions, and a detector that is configured to detect the separated ions. The ion source, the electrodes, and the detector may be positioned in an interior space 11 of the vacuum chamber 10. The detector may be positioned most to the electronic control unit 50 in the interior space 11.

[0061] FIG. 2 illustrates the vacuum chamber 10. In the shown example, the vacuum chamber 10 comprises a tube 12 and four flanges 13, 14, 15, and 16 which are attached to the tube 12. In this configuration, the vacuum pump 20 may be arranged at a first flange 13 of the vacuum chamber 10, the pressure gauge 30 may be arranged at a second flange 14 of the vacuum chamber 10 and configured to regulate fluid pressure in the vacuum chamber 10, the inlet 40 may be arranged at a third flange 15 of the vacuum chamber 10 and configured to receive the sample to the interior space 11, and the electronic control unit 50 may be arranged at a fourth flange 16 of the vacuum chamber 10.

[0062] In practical applications, a wall 17 of the vacuum chamber 10 may be subjected to pressure following from the pressure of the depressurized fluid in the interior space 11 of the vacuum chamber 10 being set by means of the vacuum pump 20 to a pressure in a range of 10.sup.−1 mbar (10 Pa) and 10.sup.−9 mbar (10.sup.−7 Pa). Unlike vacuum chambers made of metal, the coefficient of linear expansion of the vacuum chamber 10 may be reduced to nearly zero. In that way, the vacuum chamber 10 is practically nondeformable even without use of a temperature adjustment and control system.

[0063] FIG. 3 illustrates the structure of the wall 17 of the vacuum chamber 10 at the position of the tube 12. The wall 17 of the vacuum chamber 10 includes a layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset 61, a first layer of ceramic material 62, a layer of aluminum 63, and a second layer of ceramic material 64. The second layer of the ceramic material 64 is positioned at the side of an interior surface 18 of the wall 17 of the vacuum chamber 10.

[0064] The layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset 61 has a thickness in a range of 1-10 mm. Consequently, the layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset 61 is strong enough to resist a broad range of impacts. In terms of mechanical strength related to bending strength, the Young's modulus of the carbon fiber reinforced thermoset material is approximately 1.4-fold of that of stainless steel. Additionally, the carbon fiber reinforced thermoset material provides high vibration damping properties as compared to metals.

[0065] Further, the first layer of the ceramic material 62 has a thickness in a range of 40-60 μm, and the second layer of the ceramic material 64 has a thickness in a range of 40-60 μm as well. As shown in FIG. 3, the first layer of the ceramic material 62 is arranged between the layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset 61 and the layer of aluminum 63. The first layer of the ceramic material 62 may provide an adhesive bound between the layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset 61 and the layer of aluminum 63.

[0066] The layer of aluminum 63 has a thickness in a range of 0.5-10 mm. The layer of the carbon fiber reinforced thermoset 61 may be bound on the layer of aluminum 63 on which the first layer of ceramic material 62 is bound. During a manufacturing process of the vacuum chamber 10, especially of an object that is intended to make up the wall 17 of the vacuum chamber 10, the first layer of the ceramic material 62 may be bound with the layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset 61 and the layer of aluminum 63 under moderate temperatures. This may result in a very strong bonding to aluminum and/or carbon fiber without destroying the thermoset resin in the layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset 61.

[0067] During operation of the mass spectrometer 100, a high voltage of ±several kV is applied in the interior space 11 of the vacuum chamber 10. As the second layer of the ceramic material 64 is arranged on the layer of aluminum 63 and is positioned most to the interior surface 18 of the wall 17 of the vacuum chamber 10, the second layer of the ceramic layer 64 may allow the layer aluminum 63 to be durable in the context of an environment which is depressurized, and in which high voltage is applied. Also, the second layer of the ceramic material 64 may have a function as an electrical insulator which provides high wear resistance to the wall 17 of the vacuum chamber 10.

[0068] Because of high vibration-damping property of the layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset 61, it may be achieved that the vacuum chamber 10 is not affected by external vibrations even when it is held perpendicularly and supported as a cantilever. Further, because of the high moldability of the layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset 61, the layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset 61 can be formed into pipes of any diameter. Still further, by providing the layer of aluminum 63 between the first and second layer of the ceramic material 62, 64 on top of the layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset 61, the same functionalities as a metal vacuum chamber are obtained while providing an out-gas suppression effect in the vacuum environment that uses the vacuum pump 20 at a slow evacuation rate. In that way, even when high voltage is applied to the interior space 11 of the vacuum chamber 10, prevention of vacuum discharge is ensured.

[0069] The present invention can be summarized as relating to an instrument 100 that comprises a vacuum chamber 10, wherein a wall 17 of the vacuum chamber 10 includes a layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset 61 having a thickness in a range of 1-10 mm, a first and a second layer of ceramic material 62, 64 having a thickness in a range of 40-60 μm, and a layer of aluminum 63 having a thickness in a range of 0.5-10 mm. The first layer of ceramic material 62 is positioned between the layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset 61 and the layer of aluminum 63. The layer of aluminum 63 is positioned between the first layer of ceramic material 62 and the second layer of ceramic material 64. The second layer of ceramic material 64 is positioned most to a side of an interior surface 18 of the wall 17 of the vacuum chamber 10.

[0070] It will be clear to a person skilled in the art that the vacuum chamber 10 of FIG. 2 does not necessarily need to be provided with one tube 12 and four flanges 13, 14, 15, 16. The number of the tube 12 and the flanges 13, 14, 15, 16 could be any number that is suitable for a given application of the vacuum chamber 10. For example, the vacuum chamber 10 may comprise one tube 12 with five flanges or two tubes 12 with two flanges on each tube 12.

[0071] It will be also clear to a person skilled in the art that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the examples discussed in the foregoing but that several amendments and modifications thereof are possible without deviating from the scope of the present invention as defined by the attached claims. In particular, combinations of specific features of various aspects of the invention may be made. An aspect of the invention may be further advantageously enhanced by adding a feature that was described in relation to another aspect of the invention. While the present invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the figures and the description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary only, and not restrictive.

[0072] The present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by a person skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the figures, the description and the attached claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other steps or elements, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. Any reference numerals in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0073] 100 Instrument [0074] 10 Vacuum chamber [0075] 11 Interior space of the vacuum chamber [0076] 12 Tube of the vacuum chamber [0077] 13, 14, 15, 16 Flanges of the vacuum chamber [0078] 17 Wall of the vacuum chamber [0079] 18 Interior surface of the wall of the vacuum chamber [0080] 20 Vacuum pump [0081] 30 Pressure gauge [0082] 40 Inlet [0083] 50 Electronic Control Unit [0084] 61 Layer of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic [0085] 62 First layer of ceramic material [0086] 63 Layer of Aluminum [0087] 64 Second layer of ceramic material